Handle for paint cans



Oct. 19, 1937. R. M. RUHLMAN 2,096,263

HANDLE FOR PAINT CANS Filed Aug. 6, 1955 INVENTIOR ATTO R N EY Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to handles for carrying or moving from one place to another paint cans which have been opened to prevent soiling of a persons hands by the paint, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which may be readily adapted to and removed from an opened paint can and its construction is such that the device is readily adaptable to cans of different sizes and will permit a person to carry the can without danger of spilling the contents.

With these and other objects in View, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding" of my invention,

"reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing a handle adapted to opened paint cans.

Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the handle.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of handle.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the handle comprises a handle portion l and an attaching portion 2 both of which are of integral construction and constructed from a single length of material. It is desirable that the material be of a flexible quality. The handle portion includes parallel members 3 connected integrally by an arcuately curved portion 4.. The attaching portion includes arms 5 integral with the members 3 and extending at right angles thereto. .The arms 5 terminate in hooks 6. The hooks 6 parallel with thearms 5 with the free ends thereof spaced from said arms and are arcuately curved. The members 3 may be contracted or moved towards one another when grasped, permitting the hooks 6 and arms 5 to be-readily adapted to a can 1, as shown in Figure 1. The device is positioned initially to 5 the can, as shown in dotted line, to bring the hooks under the internal flange of the can. The device'is then moved into the full line position, as shown in Figure 1, with the arms abutting an outer face of the wall of the can, with the members 3 50 extending at right angles to the can. The can may then be readily carried without danger of spilling the contents or the persons hands coming in contact with the can. One of the members 3 may be looped, as shown at 8, to permit elongating of said member during the application of the device to a can and which permits said device to readily 5 adapt itself to said can. The arcuately curved portion 4 has one face flattened on which advertisements may be applied. An extension 9 is formed integrallywith the arcuately curved portion 4 and provides a medium for removing lids 10 from cans of the type shown in Figure 1.

Referring to my modified form of invention, the members 3 cross one another and the looped portion 8 is omitted.

A device of the character described may be 15 readily adapted to an open can by simply first contracting the members 3 to bring thearms 5 in close relation and the hooks 6 are then brought into engagement with the internal flange of the can, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. The 20 device is then brought into the position shown in full lines in Figure 1, and the normal tendency of the members 3 to move apart will bring about a binding of the hooks against the internal flange of the can. This permits the device to be adapted to cans of different sizes and aids in maintaining the device applied to the can.

Having described the invention, I claim:

A handle for cans having internal flanges comprising a pair of members normally crossing one 30 another substantially intermediate the ends thereof, an arcuately curved connecting portion integral with the members, to maintain the latter in crossing relation and permitting relative movement thereof when squeezed and released, paral- 35 leling arms integral with said members and extending at right angles thereto and movable towards and from each other by the squeezing and releasing of said members, and arcuately curved hooks integral with the arms and having the ends 0 thereof spaced from and arranged opposite to said arms to permit an internal flange of a can to enter said hooks during one position of said members with respect to the can and to permit the flange to become confined within said hooks by the engagement of the arms with the wall of the can and the positioning of the members at right angles to the wall of the can, thereby cooperating with the arms in securing the can to the members against accidental detachment therefrom.

RANDALL M. RUHLMAN. 

